Record rain in Los Angeles, and flooding in Iran
by Matt Taylor
After our recent wintry blast across much of the UK, the next 24 hours will herald some dramatic changes. Much milder air from the Atlantic will engulf the country. However, we will pay the price for this change through strengthening winds and spells of fairly heavy rain.
Despite the onset of rain across the UK, it will probably be less of a problem than it has been across other parts of the Globe. In yesterday’s news I reported on the heavy rain across northern Australia. These heavy downpours have continued, but we have also seen some very wet and stormy conditions across areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
Particularly badly hit by a prolonged spell of wet weather has been southern Iran. An active weather system sank down from the northwest during the latter stages of last week, and was in no particular hurry to move on. As the rain continued to fall, right into the start of this week, the rivers grew increasingly swollen. Across the south-eastern province of Sistan-Balouchistan, the rivers eventually burst their banks leading to fairly widespread floods.
Floods have also been making the news in parts of the USA. Over recent weeks, the focus has been largely on the bitterly cold and snowy conditions that hit many areas. However, during the first few days of this week, a low pressure system has pounded down from the Gulf of Alaska to give much of California a rather stormy time of it.
Gale forced winds and torrential downpours have plagued many parts of the state. Flash flooding hit areas of Los Angeles after the city suffered its wettest December day since 1931. In just 24 hours a record 108mm (4.3 inches) of rain fell. Not only was this almost double the amount they would expect to see fall in the whole month, but it also toppled the record of 53mm (2.1 inches) set on the 28th December 1931.
Perhaps understandably, there was chaos on the roads and by the end of Tuesday, 100,000 people were without power in the south of the state.
It wasn’t bad news for all Californians though. For the ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada, the same system brought heavy snow to the slopes. More snow is also predicted as another system moves down the Pacific coast, but this will also provide yet more wet and windy weather for many all the way into the New Year!
|
|
